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<p class="header"><a class="header" href="intro.htm">Orbiter</a> &gt; <a class="header" href="mainmenu.htm">Main menu</a> &gt; <a class="header" href="options.htm">Options</a> &gt; <a class="header" href="vishelper.htm">Visual helpers</a> &gt; Planetarium mode</p>

<h1>Planetarium mode</h1>
<p>Lost in space? If you lose your bearings in the middle of an interplanetary flight, Orbiter offers guidance in the form of an inflight "planetarium" mode with grids and object markers. To configure the planetarium options, open the <a href="vishelper.htm">Visual helper</a> dialog (<kbd class="ctrl">Ctrl</kbd> <kbd class="ctrl">F9</kbd>) and select the <i>Planetarium</i> tab. A shortcut for turning the planetarium on and off is <kbd class="ctrl">F9</kbd>. The following items are available:</p>

<p><ul>
<li>Celestial frame grid lines (Earth equatorial reference frame)
<li>Ecliptic frame grid lines
<li>Galactic frame grid lines
<li>Equator great circle of the target body (if applicable)
<li>Constellation names, boundaries and patterns
<li>Markers for objects on the celestial sphere (star names, Messier objects, etc.)
<li>Markers for solar system bodies
<li>Vessel markers
<li>Surface base markers
<li>Markers for navigation radio transmitter locations
<li>Markers for planetary surface features
</ul></p>

<p>Some marker types will not be visible if the object is out of range, or from a planet surface during daylight.</p>

<p>Planets may define their own sets of surface markers, to locate items such as natural landmarks, points of interest, historic landing sites, navigational aids, etc. Likewise, the planetary system may define sets of markers to identify bright stars, navigation stars, nebulae, etc. You can select marker sets by clicking the "Config" button. This opens a further dialog box, where you can highlight the appropriate sets from a list box. Additional lists may be available as addons from Orbiter internet repositories.</p>

<p>Orbiter now stores the current planetarium settings in its configuration file, and remembers them in the next simulation run.</p>

<p>Hardcore space simmers may spurn the planetarium as a cheat mode, but for the rest of us it can be a handy tool, and also helps in visualising the dynamics of planetary systems.</p>
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